Duty vs. Selfhood: Family Dynamics in the South Asian Diaspora

"Kalpana recalls the emotional abuse her mother endured and how she and her brother absorbed the fallout. These early experiences shaped her sense of safety and belonging in ways that lingered in her adulthood."

"South Asian families often balance tradition with adaptation. These tensions show up in everyday decisions about family structure, marriage, and independence, and are shaped by background, education, acculturation, internalized belief systems, religion, and more."

"In North America, these differences tend to become even more pronounced, given an individual's desire to balance both cultural and mainstream societal values."

"Some maintain joint family systems, while others adopt nuclear structures. Increasingly, some couples choose long-distance marriages to prioritize careers."

Kalpana's experience reflects the emotional abuse her mother faced from her in-laws, impacting her sense of safety and belonging. South Asian families in the diaspora navigate tensions between tradition and adaptation, influencing decisions on family structure, marriage, and independence. In North America, these cultural differences become more pronounced as individuals balance cultural values with mainstream expectations. Some families maintain joint systems, while others adopt nuclear structures or long-distance marriages, showcasing the evolving nature of family life in South Asian communities abroad.

Read at Psychology Today